Patients who are required to receive oxygen typically do so through a supply tube which is flexible and which extends from a source of oxygen (e.g., a tank) to the patient. The tube is normally attached to a nose cannula for use by the patient.
The oxygen tube is often extended rearwardly from the nose cannula and may extend over the ears, around the back of the head, or both. Sometimes the oxygen tube is clipped or clamped to a pillow bed or frame, if the patient is bed-ridden.
Adhesive tape has also been used to hold oxygen tubing onto the cheeks of infants requiring oxygen. The tape is criss-crossed around the tubing and then applied to the cheek area. Tape is used in the same manner to hold IV tubing, gastro-intestinal tubes and catheters onto the skin. However, there are a number of disadvantages associated with the use of adhesive tape. For example, in order to remove or replace the tubing it is necessary to remove the tape from the skin of the patient. This is irritating to the skin because each time the tape is removed it causes a stripping of the epidermis which over time will cause an abraded area which is painful and a potential source of infection. Furthermore, not all tapes are waterproof and may not stay in place when the skin is washed. Also, some patients with oily or perspiring skin will require more frequent re-applications of adhesive tape because of ineffective adhesive properties which do not hold on wet or oily skin.
Semi-permeable plastic adhesive dressings have been used primarily to secure IV tubing to patient's skin. Although such dressings hold the tubing very securely, they must be removed and discarded each time the tubing is removed or must be changed. Such dressings are difficult to remove and apply because they are extremely thin and they have a tendency to stick to themselves. Furthermore, these dressings can be very irritating to the skin if they are removed several times per day. They are also very expensive. With most premature infants, removal of the tubing commonly occurs 3 or 4 times in an eight hour shift.
Although it is possible to use a stomadhesive skin barrier as a base to which tubing can be attached, this also involves certain disadvantages. For example, adhesive tape must be used to attach the tubing to the base. Because of the small size of infants, the skin barrier must be one inch or less in diameter. This small size makes it difficult to attach the tubing to the skin barrier with adhesive tape. As a result, the tubing may not be held in place as securely as necessary or desired.
Although some of the previous holders and clamps may be satisfactory for certain types of patients, such devices are generally not wholly satisfactory or convenient for use by infants, small children, or patients of impaired mental faculties.
Neonatal intensive care units composed of high risk premature infants which may weigh less than two pounds and full term infants with birth defects or congenital anomalies frequently require supplemental oxygen and countless other procedures which are both costly and time consuming. Clinicians do not have the time for re-taping the tubing 3 to 5 times per shift or having another staff person to help hold the infant while applying the dressing. Furthermore, hospitals cannot afford the costs of the required products. The number of high-risk infants increases each year.
There has not heretofore been provided an effective and safe tube holder which can be easily used by all types of patients and which does not harm the skin of the patient.